Man indicted in shooting of witness who had testified against him

A 35-year-old Seattle man believed to be the ringleader of a sophisticated stolen-car ring has been indicted on a charge of witness tampering in connection with a drive-by shooting last May that injured a West Seattle woman and her 10-year-old son.

By Mike Carter

Seattle Times staff report

A 35-year-old Seattle man believed to be the ringleader of a sophisticated stolen-car ring has been indicted on a charge of witness tampering in connection with a drive-by shooting last May that injured a West Seattle woman and her 10-year-old son.

Devaughn Dorsey already was facing a 20-count indictment alleging his involvement in the stolen-car ring. Those charges were filed the day after the 28-year-old woman and her son were shot while standing in front of a kitchen window. Both were seriously injured but survived.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Lang said the woman, who is identified only by her initials, had been a witness before a federal grand jury investigating Dorsey's activities. The woman, who has recovered from her wounds, will testify against him at trial, Lang said.

He said this is the first case of an attack on a federal grand-jury witness that he can recall.

Dorsey has a long criminal history and has been under investigation in connection with a car-theft ring for more than 18 months. Lang said the group is suspected of stealing as many as 50 high-end domestic cars from several King County car dealerships.

The vehicles' identification numbers were either removed or replaced with numbers from wrecked vehicles and then sold. So far, seven people have been indicted in connection with the theft ring. Four of them have pleaded guilty.

The new indictment against Dorsey adds two additional charges: witness tampering and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. The first charge carries a maximum penalty of up to 30 years in prison. The gun charge would add a mandatory 10-year sentence to anything else he is convicted of.

Lang said that, in effect, convictions likely would send Dorsey to prison for life.
Mike Carter: 206-464-3706 or mcarter@seattletimes.com